Employers sought for cost-share child care program

Late last year, the Kansas City region was awarded 98 spots in the Missouri Child Care Works (CCW) program, a statewide initiative aimed at transforming child care affordability for working families.

The program leverages cost-sharing among employees, employers, the state of Missouri (if eligible) and other potential local funding sources. MARC joined the efforts to enroll employers and continues to add employers into the new year.

Participating employers pay a flat monthly amount for their participating employees. Those employees may also be eligible for state funding to further offset the cost of child care, pending their eligibility and availability of funding. Employees are required to cover the remaining tuition balance.

“By investing in your employees’ child care needs, you’re investing in their productivity, satisfaction and long-term commitment to your company,” said Toni Sturdivant, director of the MARC Early Learning Department.
Now is a good time to get enrolled, Sturdivant said, because employees could start receiving benefits in as little as a month of the program being fully up and running.

The CCW program has many benefits for employers, including:

• Improving employee retention and productivity: By helping to cover child care costs, CCW enables employees to stay focused on their work, knowing their children are in reliable, high-quality care. This support can greatly reduce turnover, saving your business the high cost of recruiting and training new employees.
• Attracting top talent: Offering participation in CCW is a competitive benefit that can help you attract and retain top-tier talent. Employees increasingly value family-friendly benefits, and child care support is a powerful tool to differentiate your business from others.
• Investing in the talent pipeline: When businesses invest in child care, they contribute to the overall health of their community. Helping families stay in the workforce supports the local economy. It ensures children have access to the early education and care they need to prepare them for the workforce of tomorrow.

CCW also helps families and child care providers:

• For families: Hard-working families receive affordable child care supported by contributions from employers, government and other sources, simplifying enrollment at the provider of their choice.
• For child care providers: Providers receive consistent payment, which helps stabilize the child care marketplace.